My Father the Greasy Git
by sosevvy
Summary: Response to Severitus' challenge: Snape is Harry's father, how will Harry take the news? Will he survive having to live with Snape for the summer holidays?


A/N: hello everyone. This is my first hp fic, and it may not be too good, so just bear with me. It is a response to Severitus' challenge. Please read and review! Thanks a lot.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other characters you may recognize in this fanfic.

Chapter One: The Truth (real original, I know)

Harry Potter hated his life. He hated being the savior of the wizarding world. The 'boy-who-lived'. If you asked him, he'd tell you he'd much rather be the 'boy-who-died', not that he was suicidal, mind.

But right now his life was downright boring. It just _felt _wrong somehow. Surreal. Everyday passed in the same manner, wake up, eat breakfast, classes, lunch, classes, dinner, sleep. And when he woke up the next morning, it was the same thing all over again. Nothing _happened_.

But that morning changed everything.

Dumbledore had said he wanted to see him. So he went to his office, hoping that _something_ was up. Dumbledore was waiting for him outside. Thank god, he thought, _he_, for one, did _not_ want to be stuck outside guessing candy names for hours.

They stepped onto the moving stairs, which led them up to the office. Entering it, he grimaced at seeing Professor Snape inside; did Dumbledore think he didn't _already _see enough of the greasy git?

'Sit down, Harry,' Dumbledore offered, gesturing to one of the chairs. Harry sat, albeit reluctantly, as the chair was right next to Snape's.

'I have something of utmost importance to tell you, Harry.' Dumbledore began. _Finally_, Harry's mind screamed, but his face remained a blank mask. He nodded, telling Dumbledore to continue.

Dumbledore took a deep breath, the old wizard looked slightly nervous, which surprised Harry; Dumbledore was _never_ nervous.

'I don't quite know how to tell this to you, so I'll just get to the point, shall I?' he asked, staring at Harry intensely, blue eyes losing a little of their twinkle. Harry nodded again.

'Professor Snape is your father.'

Harry stared, green eyes boring into Dumbledore's blue. He blinked disbelieving.

'Tell me this is a joke.'

Snape scoffed, finally making a noise.

'Do you _think_ the Headmaster would _joke_ about something of this importance?'

Harry turned to glare at him, 'why would _you_ care about what _I _think?'

'Harry,' Dumbledore admonished gently, 'show some respect to your father.'

'_Is_ he my father?' he asked, glowering at Dumbledore now.

'Yes,' Dumbledore made eye contact, dazzling blue eyes imploring him to listen.

Harry was dumbfounded. _Snape_ was his _father_? Impossible, his mind told him. Lily would never have cheated on James. So he demanded an explanation with one word.

'How?'

'Your mother and James were never together, Harry. It was just a…cover, one may say. A cover for the truth. It was not safe, at that time, for Severus and your mother to openly marry. He was a death eater, a spy for the light, and if Voldemort ever found out that he was involved with a muggle-born, you can imagine the consequences. So when you were born, I cast a glamour on you, to make you look like James. Why tell you now, you may ask. The glamour will wear off on your sixteenth birthday, which is in a week. Severus and I have discussed it—' he glanced at Snape'--and we have decided to tell you now, to prevent you getting a shock when you wake and find that you look completely different.'

How considerate, Harry thought sarcastically. Lie to me all my life and then try to prevent me getting a _shock_!

He held back a snort, and said instead, 'and what do you except me to do?' he looked at Snape disdainfully, 'fall into his arms and cry about how happy I am?'

Snape glanced at him. 'I do not expect anything from you.' He said stiffly, but something flashed in his eyes. What was it? Harry wondered. Anger? _Hurt_? And he scoffed inwardly at his foolishness. Hurt! Why would the greasy git be _hurt_? He _hated _Harry.

'Severus,' Dumbledore addressed the potions master, his tone falsely bright, 'is there anything you would like to say to the boy?'

Snape shook his head. But of course he had things to say, he thought. The damn boy was _his son_. And he'd known goddammit. He'd _known_ that the boy was his son. And he'd treated the boy like dirt on his shoes. Belittling him and insulting him for every reason he could find. Because he was jealous. The boy was _his_, what right did he have to look like _James_?

He looked at the boy and saw nothing but James. James James James. James, one of his best friends. His _dead_ best friend and ex-enemy. He'd always been a little jealous of James. Handsome James, girl magnet, star Quidditch player. And James had gained one over him even in death.

He was lucky Potter didn't expect anything from him. He didn't know how to be a father, for Merlin's sake! His own father hadn't set a good example, by any standards. Dumbledore's voice stopped his head-ranting.

'Then you're free to go, Harry.'

Harry stood and left the room, not casting a backward glance at his father and the Headmaster.

'How do you think he's taking it?' Snape asked.

Dumbledore grimaced, 'not very well, as you could see.'

'I wouldn't blame him. I'm the 'greasy git' after all.' Snape rolled his eyes at his 'nickname'.

Despite the circumstances, Dumbledore chuckled and Snape glared at him. Then the potions master slumped down in his seat and gave up the I'm-the-all-powerful-potions-master facade. He poured his heart out, tears leaking silently down his face.

'God, Albus, what am I supposed to do? I've no idea how to be a father. Merlin knows my own didn't set a very good example! And what if he doesn't accept me? I've been treating him like dirt for all these years! I was just jealous, you know. He was _my_ son. He had no right to walk around with my dead best friend's face. Sometimes I think that James gained one over me even in death. He had someone who looked like him, acted like him, and in everyway, _was _him; a son. Something I thought I could never have. And when I had one, I was so eager, so so eager. The first thing I asked Lily when I saw her was, 'when's he due?' And she used to joke that I loved the baby more than her. Which could never be true; I loved them both equally. And then lily died. And I…I couldn't go on. I couldn't survive without her. You know what happened.'

Dumbledore nodded, indeed he did. He remembered, alright. He remembered very well. He remembered the young man sitting in front of him, breaking down completely. He'd isolated himself in Snape manor for at least a few months. And when he'd finally emerged because of numerous encouragements, he'd looked like hell. He was unshaven and dirty, his hair fell in clumps. His clothes rumpled and filthy, too. He had been in no condition to take care of a child. And even after he'd recovered, he'd still have been an unsuitable guardian. Dumbledore remembered how Snape had closed himself of from the world, teaching his potions, and otherwise having minimal contact with anyone else.

His heart had broken, and he'd mended it, enclosing it in ice. Incapable of feeling, he had been misleaded by past memories, emotions, and felt hatred for his son. He'd been horrible to Harry, Dumbledore knew. And now the ice had shattered, and out came the broken heart. The heart that had to be mended. There was only one way. He needed to love and be loved. And wasn't Harry the perfect person for that? Harry was forgiving, probably the most kind-hearted of the people he had seen.

But how was he going to forgive Snape for years of that horrible treatment? It would be possible, Dumbledore decided, if he just opened up a little more of his heart. And he knew just how to get him to do that.

'Severus, go back to your chambers, and rest. You need it. I will talk to Harry, and he'll come around. I give you my word.' Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling once more.

Snape nodded, 'Thank you, Albus.' He said, and left the room.

A/N: how was that? Not too bad, I hope.

Please review! And tell me if I should continue or I should just bury myself 6feet under for my bad writing.


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